Seafood Soups That Take the Chill Off

Prepare your taste buds! These seafood soups pack a flavorful punch that will leave you full and satisfied.

She-Crab Soup

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
3 Tbsp. minced onion
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups half-and-half
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. paprika
Dash of Old Bay seasoning
1 lb. lump crabmeat
2 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. crab roe (optional)
Sherry (optional)
Garnishes: chopped hard-cooked eggs, freshly ground pepper, and fresh parsley sprigs

Preparation
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over low heat; add onion and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly 5 minutes or until tender.

Whisk in flour until mixture is smooth. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in half-and-half; cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Stir in salt and next 6 ingredients. Add roe, if desired, and sherry to taste. Garnish, if desired

Related: Get Crackin'! 20 Ways with Crab

Sicilian Fish Soup

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
18 green olives, quartered
1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
3 cups fish or chicken stock or broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 Tbsp. drained capers
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
2 lbs. fish fillets, cut into pieces
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
12 toasted baguette slices
Garlic Aïoli
Garnishes: 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint, 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Garlic Aïoli
Process 5 garlic cloves in a blender until finely chopped. Add 2 egg yolks, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. water, and 1/4 tsp. salt; process until smooth. With motor running, gradually add 1 cup olive oil in a thin, steady stream; process until thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Preparation
Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onion, and sauté 5 minutes or until softened. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minutes. Add olives and next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Add fish, cover, and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until fish is opaque and flakes with a fork. Season with salt and pepper.

Spread baguette slices with Garlic Aïoli.

Ladle soup into bowls. Garnish, if desired. Dollop remaining Garlic Aïoli on soup, if desired. Serve with baguette slices.

Related: 15 Ingredients, 5 Easy Vacation Meals


Saffron Mussel Soup

Ingredients
3 dozen mussels
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups dry white wine
2 cups fish stock or clam juice
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
Pinch of nutmeg
1 leek, cut into thin strips
1 celery stalk, cut into thin strips
1 carrot, cut into thin strips
Pinch of saffron
1 Tbsp. warm water
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper

Preparation
Remove beards on mussels, and scrub shells with a brush. Discard any opened or cracked mussels.

Melt butter in a large saucepan; add shallots and garlic. Sauté 3 minutes or until translucent. Add wine; bring to a boil. Add mussels; cover and cook 5 minutes, shaking saucepan occasionally. Remove mussels with a slotted spoon when they open, discarding any that remain closed; set aside.

Add fish stock and next 6 ingredients to saucepan; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes over medium heat. Strain, separately reserving both cooking liquid and vegetables. Discard bay leaf.

Add saffron to 1 Tbsp. warm water; cover and steep 2 minutes.

Heat cream in a saucepan over medium heat until very warm (do not boil). Add saffron mixture to cream. Stir in reserved cooking liquid, salt, and pepper.

Remove half of mussels from shells. Spoon vegetables evenly into shallow serving bowls. Place 3 shelled mussels and 3 unshelled mussels on top of vegetables. Ladle warm broth over vegetables and mussels. Serve immediately.

Related: 10 Recipes for Oyster Lovers

Salmon Chowder with Chives

Ingredients
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
8 cups chicken broth
8 oz. red potatoes, cubed
8 oz. Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 lbs. skinless salmon fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup minced fresh chives, divided
2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper

Preparation
Sauté shallot in butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring constantly, 2 minutes or until tender. Whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Cook 1 minute, whisking constantly. Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add potatoes and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender. Add salmon; simmer 5 minutes or until fish flakes with a fork and potatoes are tender.

Discard bay leaf. Stir in cream, 2 Tbsp. chives, vinegar, and next 3 ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (Do not boil.) Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with remaining 2 Tbsp. chives.

Related: 20 Super Salmon Recipes

Shrimp and Sausage Gumbo

Ingredients
2 lbs. unpeeled, large fresh shrimp
2 (32-oz.) containers chicken broth
1 lb. andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 celery ribs, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. Creole seasoning
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 to 3 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 cup chopped green onions
Hot cooked rice

Preparation
Peel shrimp, reserving shells, and devein, if desired. Set meat aside.

Combing shrimp shells and chicken broth in a large Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 20 minutes. Pour mixture through a wire-mesh strainer into a bowl, discarding shells. Set broth aside, and keep warm.

Cook sausage in a Dutch oven over medium heat until browned. Remove sausage; set aside. Measure drippings, adding enough oil to measure 1/2 cup. Cook oil mixture and flour in Dutch oven over medium-low heat about 35 to 40 minutes, whisking constantly, until roux is chocolate colored.

Stir in onion and next 3 ingredients; cook 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring often. Gradually stir in warm broth; bring mixture to a boil. Stir in bay leaves and next 4 ingredients; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Stir in shrimp, sausage, and green onions; cook 5 to 7 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Discard bay leaves. Serve over hot rice.

See 8 more hearty seafood soups!

More from Coastal Living
The Best Seafood Dives Coast to Coast
50 Island-Inspired Cocktails
Seafood Suppers for $5 or Less!
"Like" Us on Facebook